It was a gift to the town from the Archbishop of Lima, Don Juan Domingo González de la Reguera, and constructed by Cosme Antonio de Bustamante in 1794. In the year 1802 it became the “Real Seminario Cántabro”, the Royal Seminary of Cantabria, where the founder sponsored the Latin lectures and the school for children for many years, as well as the classrooms and accommodation for the Latin teachers.
The edifice is based on a quadrangular floor plan and a central courtyard in a classical manner. It is an impressive construction distinguished for the majestic stonework and the balconies , which extend over its façade.
It bears an Episcopal shield, stamped with a clerical hat, a pencil and an open book. It has some cords hanging from its crest and ending in four, instead of the ten tassels an archbishop shield should have.
The field is cut:
1) On the crest is a Maltese cross. On the right a ship crosses a bridge and on the left there is a tree pulled down on whose logs rests an animal
2) The Crosier and the Lorraine cross over the bishop’s mitre is embroidered the following inscription in Latin: ”VIRGA TUA ET BACULUS TUUS IPSA ME CONFIATA SUNT” which means “I was entrusted with your staff and your Crosier”.
On the supports of the shield there is an inscription about the founder, constructor and the year this edifice was built: REINANDO CARLOS IV Y A EXPENSAS DEL EXCMO. SR D. JUAN DOMINGO GONZALEZ DE LA REGUERA, ARZOBISPO DE LIMA, GRAN CRUZ DE LA REAL Y DISTINGUIDA ORDEN DE ESPAÑA, SE HIZO ESTA ESCUELA PARA LA ENSEÑANZA PUBLICA POR DIRECCION DEL ARQUITECTO COSME ANTON. BUSTAMANTE. AÑO DEL SEÑOR DE 1794″.
The main entrance is not accessible, there is an access ramp at the back of the building to get inside. The Cultural Centre has an adapted toilet and a lift to access the rest of the floors.
